Family-Owned · Joppa, Maryland · Since 1953
Maryland's Original
Basement Waterproofing
Company
Oriole has been fixing Maryland basements longer than most of our competitors have been in business. Three generations of the Pirog family, carried on today by Amber Pirog. 4,000+ completed jobs. Honest, consultative guidance, our standard since 1953.
The Company
Named After Maryland's
State Bird. Built to Last.
Frank Pirog Sr. founded Oriole in 1953. He named the company after the Baltimore Oriole, Maryland's state bird, because this business was going to be as rooted in this state as the bird itself. That was not marketing. It was a statement of intent.
The company Frank Sr. built was never franchised. Never acquired. Never taken public. It passed from him to his son Frank Jr., from Frank Jr. to Frank III, and now to Frank III's widow, Amber Pirog, who leads the company today. Frank III's cousin, Mark Michael, serves as Director of Operations, continuing the family business alongside her, in the same Maryland communities the Pirogs have served since 1953.
In more than 70 years, Oriole has built its reputation almost entirely through referrals. Roughly nine out of every ten new customers call because a neighbor, a family member, a real estate agent, or a home inspector recommended OBW. That is not an accident. It is what happens when a company does the job right and answers the phone years later when someone has a question.
"Leave ALL the worry to us."
The Oriole Basement Waterproofing promise, since 1953
Why "Oriole"?
Frank Pirog Sr. was a lifelong bird enthusiast and named the company after his favorite, the Baltimore Oriole, Maryland's state bird, in 1953, one year before the O's came to town. A Maryland company, for Maryland homeowners, rooted in Maryland communities. That has not changed.
MHIC License #4247
Oriole holds Maryland Home Improvement Commission license #4247, one of the earliest-issued contractor licenses in the state. Continuously maintained for over four decades.
Our History
The Oriole Story, 1950 to Today
Three generations of the Pirog family, now carried forward by Amber Pirog, serving the same Maryland communities for more than 70 years.
Our Founder, Frank Sr.
Frank Pirog Sr. first encountered basement waterproofing in the very early 1950s, when his own basement flooded. Recognizing how few reliable waterproofing services existed in Maryland, he set out to build lasting solutions for local homes.
Oriole Is Founded
Frank Sr. founded the company, originally Oriole Contractors, in 1953, naming it after the Baltimore Oriole, Maryland's state bird. It was a family-run business from the very start: his sons, Frank Jr. and Brian, grew up working alongside him, and Oriole built its reputation across Harford and Baltimore Counties.
Frank Jr. Takes the Helm
Frank Sr. retired and his son Frank Jr. assumed ownership, renaming the company Oriole Basement Waterproofing and expanding service into Cecil, Howard, Carroll, and Anne Arundel Counties. Oriole became a second-generation family-owned company.
Frank III Leads a New Era
After losing Frank Jr. in January 2016, his son Frank III took over as owner. He grew Oriole from a single crew to multiple crews and brought on his cousin, Mark Michael, to help carry the family business forward. Frank III passed away in December 2022, leaving a legacy of commitment and passion.
Amber Pirog Carries the Legacy Forward
In the spirit of continuing her late husband's vision, Amber Pirog assumed ownership of Oriole Basement Waterproofing. Working alongside Mark Michael and the team, she leads the company Frank III built, honoring the past while forging the path ahead.
Why It Matters
What 70+ Years of Family Ownership
Actually Means
These are not marketing positions. They are structural decisions that a family-owned company makes, and a PE-backed franchise cannot replicate.
Honest, Consultative Guidance
The inspector who visits your home diagnoses the actual problem first and recommends the fix that solves it, not the largest system. That has been our standard since day one.
A Guarantee That Transfers When You Sell
Our written workmanship guarantee is documented, not a verbal promise, terms vary by service, ask your inspector.
Maryland-Built, Maryland-Specific
Piedmont clay. Chesapeake water tables. Maryland freeze-thaw cycles. OBW systems are engineered for these specific conditions, not adapted from a national template built for a different climate and a different soil type.
The People Who Quote Are the People Who Work
Oriole does not use subcontractors for waterproofing or foundation work. The crew that shows up was trained in-house and is accountable to the same family that has been in this county since 1953.
The Team
Who Runs Oriole Today
Amber Pirog and Mark Michael lead the company today, continuing the Pirog family business that Frank Sr. founded in 1953.
Amber Pirog
Owner / Operations
Amber leads Oriole as its owner, continuing the vision of her late husband, Frank III, in the company Frank Pirog Sr. founded in 1953. She oversees operations, client relationships, and the direction of a business built on reputation rather than advertising spend.
Mark Michael
Director of Operations
Mark is Frank III's cousin and Director of Operations at Oriole. He manages job scheduling, crew coordination, and quality assurance, the work that keeps 4,000+ job histories honored and new customers receiving the same standard as the first ones.
See Our Work
OBW in Action
Over 17 videos on our YouTube channel, from company overviews to job-site walkthroughs of real Maryland waterproofing and foundation repair projects.
Company Overview
Maryland's Oldest Basement Waterproofing Company
An introduction to Oriole Basement Waterproofing, who we are, what we do, and why Maryland homeowners have trusted the Pirog family since 1953.
View All Videos on YouTube →How Does Basement Waterproofing Work?
Why is Basement Waterproofing Necessary?
Can You Waterproof a Basement?
Work With Maryland's Original.
Free inspection. Written quote same day. Honest, consultative guidance, true since 1953.
Family-owned since 1953 · Joppa, MD · MHIC #4247